Healing
by Hylen
Summary: Kristina finally gets help and begins the healing process, but when she hits a few snags along the way will Flack be there to help her? Sequel to Hurt. Flack/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Okay, here is the sequel to Hurt. It is rated M because there will be some smut. Special thanks go to Brina for betaing. You're awesome! So please enjoy :)**

* * *

"Um, I've never done this before. I don't really know where to start."

"That's okay Kristina. Why don't you start by telling me about your family? Do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah. I have two older brothers, and then a younger sister. For some reason our parents loved the fact that the boys came first. I guess so they could 'protect' my sister and me," Kristina said with a laugh.

Dr. Greene nodded. "And what do all of them do for a living?"

"Well, my oldest brother, Alan, is also a cop. My other brother, Gavin, is a firefighter and my sister, Eileen, is a nurse. Apparently we like to help people."

"And both of your parents are officers as well correct?"

"Yes. They're retired detectives. They met at the police academy. Got married right after they graduated and have been together ever since."

"Are you close with your family?"

"Oh yeah. When we were younger, they would take us on vacation all the time. We always went with my dad's partner's family. It was always a lot of fun."

"Now your boyfriend is the son of your father's partner. Am I correct?"

"Yeah. His little sister Samantha is my best friend. She and I were inseparable. You would think that Don wouldn't want us around, but he always included us. Even though we were much younger than he was. He never seemed to care."

"Do you have an example of this?"

Kristina laughed. She had a million examples of it. There was one that stuck out in her mind though…

_"Don please! We really wanna play too!" Sam begged. _

"_Yeah! And you don't have to worry about us getting hurt. We're tough!" Kristina added._

"_Kris, trust me, I am not worried about you and Sam getting hurt. I'm worried about the two of you hurting my friends," Flack responded with a laugh._

"_Oh Don, they'll be fine! We're two little girls. How much damage can we do?" Sam asked._

_Flack sighed. He knew he wouldn't win against them. "Alright, you can play. But, you two are going to be on my team."_

"_Okay!" Kristina shouted as she and Sam cheered._

_The girls followed Flack down to the empty field where they would be playing football. His friends were already there and started laughing when they saw Flack with the two young kids._

"_Hey Don, what're they doin here? They can't play with us. They could get hurt," one of them said._

"_Nah, don't worry about them. They will be fine. Let's just start playing."_

_Within fifteen minutes, Sam and Kristina had managed to score a touchdown each._

"_Flack what is your mom feeding these girls?"_

_Flack laughed. "I have no idea, but I'm glad I brought 'em."_

"_Yeah, yeah let's just finish this game."_

"I was 8, Sam was 11, and Don was 18. We had so much fun," Kristina said.

"It sounds like you did," Dr. Greene said. Kristina continued to talk and tell stories while the psychiatrist listened quietly.

Thirty minutes later Dr. Greene glanced at the clock on the wall and then turned back to Kristina with a smile. "Well, it looks like our time is up. I'll see you at the same time next week."

"Okay. I'm looking forward to it," Kristina said as she got up to leave.

Back in the waiting room, Flack was reading another magazine. He glanced up and smiled when he saw Kristina. He tossed the magazine aside and walked over to her.

"Please remind me to bring a book next time," he said as he hugged her. "How did it go?"

"It went well. I told her about the time you let Sam and me play football with your friends."

Flack smiled at the memory. "Oh yeah. That was the time you two schooled all of my friends on the basics of the game. No one talked to me for two months after that."

"Aww really? You never told me about that."

"Because it never really bothered me. It just meant that I got to spend more time with my favorite girl in the world."

"You are such a dork," Kristina said with a laugh.

"I know. What do ya say we get outta here? I wanna take you home."

"I would love that."

* * *

"So m'dear, what would you like me to make for dinner?

"Oh I don't care. Surprise me."

Flack smiled. He knew she would say that. "Well, I can make my famous fettuccini alfr-" He was interrupted by the sound of his phone. He walked over to it and groaned when he glanced at the caller ID.

"Flack… yeah… mhmm…. Okay, I'll be right there." He hung up and turned back to Kristina with an apologetic expression. "I just caught a case. Apparently they're swamped and need me to help. I'm so sorry Kris. Do you want me to make you something before I go? Or I can call in sick and stay with you."

"Don its okay. I can make something for myself. You just go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back," Kristina said with a laugh. Flack smiled and kissed her, then grabbed his coat and walked out the door.

Kristina shook her head. As much as she loved her boyfriend, he really was a mess. She knew he didn't quite understand what was going on with her, but he was trying to help her get through it.

Deciding to wait a little while before eating, Kristina walked around cleaning up the apartment. She went to throw a pair of socks, which had somehow ended up in the living room, into the hamper. When she opened the closet door, her eyes fell on the box.

Without realizing what she was doing, Kristina pulled the box out and opened it. She didn't know why, but for some reason she felt the need to look at everything inside of it. Kristina usually only opened the box three days a year; the anniversary of his death, the date they were supposed to be married, and his birthday.

As she opened the box, tears began to fall from Kristina's eyes. All the wonderful memories came rushing back to her. She picked up a t-shirt and held it close. Even though it had been ten years, the smell of his cologne still lingered faintly on the fabric. She took everything out of the box one by one and just cried.

* * *

_Several Hours Later_

"Kris, I'm home," Flack said as he walked into the apartment. He was surprised when he didn't receive an answer. He figured she would have waited up for him.

Walking into the bedroom, Flack sighed when his eyes fell on the bed. There he found Kristina fast asleep. She was surrounded by the entire contents of the box. She was wearing Nate's baseball cap and clutching one of his t-shirts. He began to pick everything up when something sparkling caught his eye. Flack looked at her left ring finger and saw it. The engagement ring Nate had given her. He slipped it off her finger and put it away.

Sighing, Flack walked into the kitchen. What he saw there made his heart sink. An empty bottle of whiskey. Flack shook his head. He was at a loss. He couldn't watch her twenty four hours a day, but she obviously needed more help than he could give her. Flack grabbed his phone and called the one person he knew would understand.

* * *

**AN: And there is the beginning of the healing process. As you can probably tell, it's going to be rough for them. Let me know what you think!**

**~Jess**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you so much for the reviews and for adding the story to your alerts/favorites! Kristina is starting to feel like my baby, so I'm glad that you are enjoying the ride. Special thanks go to Brina for betaing. You are wonderful as always.**

* * *

Kristina stirred at the light touch that she felt on her shoulder. The hand that had tapped her was now softly stroking her hair. At first she thought it was Flack, but then she realized that this hand was much smaller than his. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled when she saw the woman sitting in front of her.

"Hey Sam," she said smiling.

"Hey girl. How ya doin?"

Kristina moved over and motioned for Sam to lie down on the bed. "I'm good. How are you?"

"I've been better. I figured we could both use a girls' night in," Sam said as she got in the bed.

"That sounds amazing, but I have to ask. Did Don put you up to this?"

Sam laughed. "You two know each other way too well. Yes, he called me. But I haven't seen you in a long time and I've missed you. That's why I came over. Not because he asked me to."

"Oh okay," Kristina said sarcastically. "And what does he plan on doing tonight? He's not a girl so he can't stay here."

"I think he said he was going to go out with Danny or something. Or maybe your brothers."

"Oh God help New York City if he and my brothers get together," Kristina said causing Sam to laugh.

"You know there was a time where the same could be said for us," Sam commented.

"Yeah, but things have obviously changed with us."

"They have. And that saddens me Kris. What happened to you?" Sam asked.

"I went off the deep end and started drinking away my sorrows. What's your answer?" Kristina retorted.

"Well I didn't go crazy, but I was drinking my sorrows away for a while. I got help though."

Kristina sighed. She thought that might be the reason Flack called Sam, and now she was certain. "That's why he called you isn't it? He wants you to 'help' me."

"Kris, he's worried about you. I know that only you can decide when you're ready to get help, but when you do I'm here. I'll take you to meetings, whatever you need."

Kristina smiled. She was so glad she had Sam as a best friend. They lay in the bed for several minutes before deciding to get up and get some food.

"I want to make something easy. I'm not in the mood to cook a ton," Kristina said looking in the pantry.

"We could order out? I've kind of been craving Chinese lately," Sam suggested.

"Ooh Chinese sounds great. I think I have a menu somewhere." Kristina began looking through her drawers and quickly found a menu. The girls decided on what they wanted and ordered the food.

"Alright, they said it would be forty-five minutes to an hour. What do you want to do while we wait?" Kristina asked.

"Oh, let's watch a movie. I'm in the mood for something sappy," Sam replied.

"Alright, sappy I've got. How does Kate & Leopold sound?"

"Oh my gosh! I haven't seen that movie in forever!" Sam exclaimed.

Kristina took her response as a yes and put the movie in the DVD player. The two friends watched the first ten minutes then began talking. They hadn't spoken in almost a year so they had a lot to catch up on.

"Therapy has been going well. And the medicine is starting to help. It's only been a week so I can't really tell a difference yet. Hey, by the way, do you remember that time we put the cat hair under Don's pillow?" Kristina asked.

"Oh do I! That was hilarious. He was up all night if I remember."

* * *

_"Sam I don't think this is a good idea. What if he gets really sick?"_

"_Oh Kris stop being such a baby. I don't think it will bother him at all. Just go in there and slip it under his pillow. Then hurry back in here. Make absolutely sure he doesn't see you."_

"_But why do I have to do it? Why can't you?"_

"_Because you're younger than me. And if he's in there he won't get mad at you for interrupting him. Come on Kris, just do it."_

"_Ugh fine! Give it to me."_

_Sam handed the small cat hair over to her friend. Kristina slowly walked out of the room and across the hall to Flack's room. She peeked inside to make sure he wasn't there and then slipped inside. She went up to the bed and put the cat hair under the pillow. Kristina hurried back into Sam's room._

"_Did you do it?" Sam asked the second Kristina closed the door._

"_Yes. I still don't think it's a good idea though."_

"_Well there's nothing we can do about it now."_

_The girls stayed in Sam's room until they heard Flack go to bed. They went over to the door and listened quietly. Within minutes they heard Flack sneeze and they couldn't contain their laughter._

_Flack tried to sleep that night, but couldn't stop sneezing. He finally got up and went downstairs to sleep on the couch. _

_The next morning Mrs. Flack washed her son's sheets and called the two girls downstairs. "Did you girls try to play a trick on Don last night?"_

_Sam looked at her innocently. "No."_

_Mrs. Flack gave her a look that said she wasn't buying it and Kristina snapped._

"_We did. We put a cat hair under his pillow. It was Sam's idea. I just put it there. We wanted to see if it would make him sneeze all night. I didn't want to do it, but Sam convinced me to."_

"_Krisss!!!!" Sam cried as her best friend went silent. _

_The look on her mother's face said they were both in big trouble, but Flack walked into the room. He had heard everything and had a smile on his face._

"_It's okay Ma. They were just having a bit of fun. I'm okay. It just made me sneeze a lot. No harm done," he said winking at the girls._

"_Alright if you say so. Are you kids hungry? I'll go make us some lunch. Are sandwiches okay?" Without waiting to hear an answer, Mrs. Flack went into the kitchen to make their lunch._

_Flack walked over to the girls and kneeled down in front of them. "Now that wasn't very nice of you to do last night. I didn't feel well at all. Can you promise me that you won't do it again? Please?"_

"_We promise," the girls mumbled in unison. _

"_Good. Now who wants to go outside and play before lunch?" Flack smiled at the excited looks he got and the three went outside to play._

* * *

"Wow, how old were we?" Sam asked.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I was six," Kristina responded.

"So I was nine and Don was sixteen. He really was extremely patient with us," Sam noted.

Kristina laughed. "He's still patient with us. I'm surprised he never yelled at us or really got mad at us for all of the stupid things we did."

"Oh I know! We used to bother him so much. And he always laughed it off."

"I remember when I was little, I wished he was my brother instead of Alan and Gavin. But then I got older and developed a crush so that wish went out the window."

"God, you were in love with him."

"Yeah, but he was your brother. And he was way too old for me."

"Plus you met Nate."

"Yeah. And I really did love him. I still do. I think part of me will always love him. But I have Don now. After how many years? I'm finally with him," Kristina said with a laugh.

"Ya know that makes me laugh. Back then you 'couldn't' love him because he was ten years older than you and was my brother, but it's okay now?"

"Yeah, I know it's weird. God I missed you so much Sam."

"I missed you too Kris. I don't know why we stopped talking, but it can't happen again," Sam said as she leaned over and hugged her best friend.

The ringing doorbell interrupted their conversation. Kristina got up and paid for the food then went and sat back down on the couch. She and Sam stayed up for most of the night talking and catching up.

When Flack got home the next morning he found them passed out on the couch. He laughed at the sight, but was also relieved. He knew that calling Sam had been the right thing to do.

* * *

**AN: I know not much happened here, but I really wanted to show the relationship between Sam and Kris. It is an interesting one and we will definitely see more of it later on. I hope you enjoyed it!**

**~Jess**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you for the reviews and for adding the story to your alerts/favorites! As always, special thanks to Brina for reading and discussing the chapter with me. You are awesome.**

* * *

"Don has always been there for me. He's always the first person I call when something happens," Kristina said with a smile.

"Do you have an example of a time when something bad happened and you called him?" Dr. Greene asked.

Kristina laughed. "I've got about a million. But there was one time back in college that I will never forget."

"Why don't you tell me about it?"

Kristina sighed and then began to tell yet another story about her relationship with Don.

* * *

_"H-hello?"_

"_Don? I-it's Kris…"_

_Flack immediately shot up in bed. He did not like the fear in her voice. "Kris? What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay?"_

"_No. Can you come get me?" Kristina asked through her tears._

"_Of course. Where are you?" Don replied as he got out of the bed. As he was getting dressed, he listened to Kristina tell him where she was. Apparently she'd gone to a frat party and something had happened. She sounded really scared and that worried him._

"_Okay Kris, whatever you do, don't leave. I'll be there as soon as I can."_

_Forty-five minutes later, Flack had gotten Kristina and taken her back to his apartment. They had been silent the entire car ride, but he couldn't hold it in any longer._

"_Kris what the hell happened to you?" he asked. She had a black eye and a busted lip._

"_Um, well a friend and I went to this party. She met a guy and went home with him. They offered to take me home, but I wanted to stay for a little longer. After they left, this guy came up and started talking to me. He was cute and I flirted with him. He started bringing me drinks and I didn't think anything of it because he was so nice. I started to feel sick and the next thing I know, I wake up looking like this."_

_Flack sat there in stunned silence. His first response was to go back to that house, find the guy responsible for this, and beat the shit out of him. Flack knew that this wouldn't be beneficial for Kristina though, and right now she was his number one priority. There was one question nagging at him though. He didn't want to ask it, but knew that it was necessary._

"_Kris… did he rape you?" His heart broke at the look on her face. Fresh tears started to fall as she shook her head. Relief started to wash over him until she opened her mouth to speak._

"_I d-don't know."_

"_Okay we need to get you to the hospital now," Flack said as he stood up._

"_No Don, please."_

"_Kris you may have been raped. And even if you weren't, you were still drugged and beaten up. You need to go to the hospital and then file a police report. We need to catch the guy that did this."_

_Kristina sighed. She knew Don was right. "Fine, I'll go."_

* * *

Kristina was quiet for a moment. The memory of that night was painful for her and she was trying not to cry.

"What happened after you went to the hospital? Did they find the man?" Dr. Greene asked.

"Yeah. Thankfully I wasn't raped. And I remembered what he looked like. The cops took the sketch back to the house and showed it around. He was a member of the fraternity and was arrested. I have no idea where he is now."

"Well, that's great to hear," Dr. Greene said. She heard the timer go off and glanced at the clock. "Alright, well our time is up for today. I think you're making great progress Kristina. You're responding very well to the treatment."

"Thank you. I am feeling much better."

"That's excellent. Well, I will see you next week," Dr. Greene said with a smile as she stood up.

Kristina stood up as well and smiled. "See you then." She turned and walked out of the office and back to Don.

* * *

"Hey Kris, can I ask you somethin?"

"You just did," Kristina teased. She grinned at the look Flack gave her.

"Kris I'm bein serious."

"Okay. What's your question?" Kristina asked.

"Why do you drink?"

Kristina thought for a moment. She and Flack were sitting at her kitchen table. They had just finished eating dinner and were now wasting time before they went to meet Danny and Lindsay at Sullivan's.

"I drink, because I want it to take the pain away. I want it to make me feel better. But it never does."

Flack sighed and looked Kristina straight in the eyes. "I think you should get help for the drinking."

"I know. Sam does too. She offered to take me whenever I'm ready," Kristina told him.

"That's great. Well I'm not going to push the subject any further. Just tell you that I'm really proud of you for getting the help you needed."

Kristina blushed. "Thank you Don. You are an amazing boyfriend you know that? I love you."

"I love you too Kris." He leaned over and gave her a kiss before checking his watch. "I think we've wasted enough time here. You ready to get goin?"

"Of course I am. Let's go."

The couple got up and walked out of the apartment, ready for a fun evening with their closest friends.

* * *

"God Don it's okay!" Kristina yelled as she walked through the door. Flack slammed the door shut behind them.

"No it's not okay Kris! You know you have a problem! Yet you proceeded to get trashed tonight!"

In that moment, Kristina turned on him. "I am not trashed! Buzzed, yes! Tipsy, maybe! We went out to meet our friends! I wanted to have fun and enjoy myself! I chose to have a few drinks! My 'problem' has nothing to do with it! I told you before that I got drunk all those times to make the pain go away! I have no pain right now! I was drinking for fun!!"

"God dammit Kristina! It doesn't matter when you're an alcoholic! Drinking is drinking! You can't control yourself! Why don't you understand that?!" Flack shouted.

Kristina stood silent for a moment, then walked over to the door and opened it.

"Get! Out!" she said through gritted teeth.

Flack was stunned. "B-but Kris…"

"No!" she shouted interrupting him. "You have an apartment. Go to it. You are not staying here."

Flack opened and closed his mouth for several minutes. He wanted to say something, but didn't know how to say it. Defeated, he walked out the door. He turned and took one last look at Kristina before she slammed the door shut.

Kristina went into her bedroom. She knew that Flack was still standing outside her door. Knowing him he would probably be there all night. She also knew that there was someone who would completely understand what she was going through. Without hesitating Kristina walked into the living room and called the one person she knew would help her get through this.

* * *

Kristina was awoken the next morning by the sound of someone pounding on her front door. She jumped out of bed, determined to stop the annoying sounds. Angrily, she opened the door and was about to yell at the person when she saw who it was.

"Sam!" Kristina reached out and hugged her best friend.

"Geez Kris, why do you seem so surprised to see me? You called me last night, remember?" Sam said with a laugh.

Kristina stepped back smiling. "I know, but I didn't expect you to show up this early. I thought you were Don."

"Aww, now why do you have to break my heart like that? I look nothing like my brother," Sam teased.

Now it was Kristina's turn to laugh. "I know. I just figured maybe he would try and make up for last night."

"Well he wanted to. He was asleep at your door when I got here. I sent him home. Told him we would be busy today. Now let's get you dressed. If we don't hurry we'll be late."

Thirty minutes later, Kristina and Sam were walking into the small conference room of a church. There were a few people there already, milling about and talking to one another. The two friends sat next to each other in the small circle of chairs. Within ten minutes every chair was full.

Kristina was nervous. She didn't pay attention, when someone stood up and started the meeting. She didn't hear them ask if there was anyone new present. She sat there until she felt Sam nudge her elbow.

Kristina glanced around the small room. Looking at Sam for one last vote of confidence, she stood up and faced the group.

"Hello. My name is Kristina. And I'm an alcoholic."


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thanks for all of the reviews and for adding the story to you alerts/favorites! Special thanks to Brina! As always she was wonderful and read and discussed the chapter with me. This chapter does contain smut so if that's not your thing then stop reading now. Enjoy!**

* * *

Kristina had been staring at her phone for fifteen minutes. She knew she had to make the call, but she was scared of what would happen when she did. Was he still mad at her? Would he forgive her? Would he understand?

Sam had offered to stay with her, but Kristina knew she had to do this alone. This was between her and Flack. As much as she wanted everything to magically be okay again, she knew that wouldn't happen. She had kicked him out and she had to bring him back.

With trembling hands, Kristina picked up her phone and dialed Flack's number. It rang a few times and then went to voicemail. _Oh God he's ignoring me now,_ Kristina thought. She heard the beep indicating that she should leave a message and her mind went blank. She had completely forgotten everything she had planned to say.

Kristina took a deep breath and spoke from the heart. "Um… hey Don, it's Kris. I'm sorry I missed you. I was hoping we could talk. I've just been sitting here thinking about us. Thinking about everything we've been through and I realized that the only way I got through it all was because of you. You were always there by my side, whether I asked you to be or not. I know I was a bitch sometimes and I treated you like shit, but you were still there for me. You never left me alone and I love you for it. Um… look, just please call me back as soon as you get this. I really want to talk about what happened. I love you. Bye."

Kristina hung up the phone and rested her head in her hands. She had known Flack for almost thirty years, but their relationship hadn't gotten complicated until…

"Until the first time we had sex," Kristina finished her thought aloud. The memory of that night more than ten years ago came rushing back to her like it had happened yesterday.

* * *

_"Sam there's no way you can drive," Kristina said to her best friend._

"_Well you definitely can't drive either," Sam slurred._

"_What are we gonna do? We don't have any cash so we can't take a cab," Kristina noted while using the wall to keep herself standing._

"_Oh I know! Let's call Don, he'll come get us!" Sam exclaimed like she had just discovered a new species._

"_He's probably out with Danny or David, whatever the hell his name is. He's not going to come get us."_

"_Of course he will. It's us!" Sam retorted as she pulled out her phone. After pressing several wrong buttons she was finally able to call Flack. She put it on speakerphone and held it out so Kristina could hear too._

"_Sam? Why are you calling me at one-thirty in the morning?" Flack asked without saying 'hello'._

"_Donnniiiieeeee!" Sam yelled into the phone. "I'm with Kris and we're too drunk to drive and we need you to come pick us up and we will love you forever if you do."_

"_Wow Sam. Uhh… I guess I can come get you guys. I was about to leave anyway. Where are you?"_

_Kristina took the phone knowing that Sam wouldn't give him the answer he needed. She turned the speakerphone off and put it up to her ear._

"_Hi Don, um we're at this place called Sullivan's. Do you know where it is? Because I don't and wouldn't be able to tell you how to get here."_

"_Kris, you know I should give you a ticket for underage drinking. And why the hell did you two go to Sullivan's? Cops hang out there!"_

"_Oh really? I didn't know that. Well we didn't get caught, so it's all good. So you know where this place is?"_

"_Yeah I do. I'll be there in twenty minutes. Make sure my sister doesn't do anything stupid."_

"_I will do that. See you soon."_

_About thirty minutes later they were all back at Flack's apartment. He figured it would be easier to let them stay there than have to explain everything to their parents. At the moment, Sam was passed out in his guest room and he and Kristina were sitting on the couch._

_They had been silent for a couple of minutes. There was this weird awkwardness between them that had never been there before. Flack was sure that it was just because they were drunk. Although he had to admit, Kristina looked gorgeous. _

_He glanced over at her to make sure she hadn't fallen asleep and saw her staring at him. This wasn't the first time he had caught her staring, but usually she blushed and looked away. Tonight, however, she kept her eyes on him._

_Flack was about to say something when Kristina leaned up and kissed him. The kiss deepened and before he could think about what he was doing, Flack was on top of her. Their hands roamed over each other's bodies, but when Kristina's reached for the zipper of Flack's jeans, he pulled back._

"_Wait, stop. This isn't right," he said._

"_What are you talking about? It's not like I haven't done this before."_

"_Wait, you've had sex?" Flack said sounding a little overprotective._

"_Well no, but I've done other stuff. I thought you liked me, Don. I guess I was wrong." Kristina started to get up, but Flack held her down._

"_Who told you I liked you?" he asked._

"_Sam," Kristina replied._

"_I should have known. Look Kris, it's not that I don't like you. Because trust me I do. A lot. It's just that you're my little sister's best friend. And you're only seventeen. And I don't want anything to ruin our friendship. Because you're not just Sam's best friend; you're my best friend too."_

_Kristina was quiet for a moment. She knew that there was a possibility that this could ruin their friendship, but she didn't think it would. She wanted this. And she would get it._

"_Don. You're right. I am seventeen. But I know what I want. And I want to lose my virginity to you. I don't think it will ruin our friendship. I think it will bring us even closer. I want this. And I know you do too." She emphasized her point by grinding her hips against his erection making him groan._

_Before Kristina could say anything else, Flack's lips were crashing down on hers. She opened her mouth slightly and his tongue darted inside. Once again Kristina's hands travelled between their bodies to the zipper of Flack's jeans and once again he pulled back._

"_What now?" she asked annoyed._

"_I just… if you're sure about this, then I think we should go into my room," Flack replied._

"_Oh. That sounds like a good idea." Kristina said with a smile._

_Flack got up and before Kristina could move, he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. He set her down and they stood there for a moment, staring at each other. Flack put his hands on Kristina's hips and pulled her toward him. In the same moment Kristina reached up and pulled Flack down and kissed him. _

_Their kiss deepened and their hands began to explore each other's bodies again. Flack moved his hands up Kristina's shirt to cup her breasts. He massaged them through her bra and she moaned at the sensation. He could feel her nipples begin to harden through the soft fabric and let out a soft groan. _

_Kristina's hands toyed with the hem of Flack's shirt for a few moments until she finally broke the kiss and pulled it off. Flack then lifted hers up and in the same movement removed her bra. _

_Flack gently laid Kristina down on the bed, then slowly removed her skirt and panties. He opened her legs a little and knelt between them, seeing for the first time how wet she was. _

_He looked up at her and smiled. He had dreamed of this moment, but wrote it off as something that would never happen. Now here he was staring up at one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen and she wanted him._

_Flack smiled once more then dipped his head into her wet, hot center. Kristina released a moan as he licked her slick slit teasing her. He used his fingers to spread her lips and then started sucking on her throbbing clit. A small gasp escaped Kristina's mouth when he lightly nipped at it._

"_Ohh Goood…" Kristina moaned as Flack slipped two fingers inside her while he continued to suck._

_Flack smirked and began thrusting his fingers in and out of her. When Kristina's walls began to contract and her breathing shortened, he withdrew his fingers._

_Kristina groaned in annoyance, but Flack ignored her. He wanted to feel her come around him. Flack stood up and took off his jeans and boxers, then reached into the nightstand. He grabbed a condom and quickly put it on. Then, smiling, he laid down over Kristina and looked her in the eyes._

"_Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. When she nodded, he continued. "Okay. If you want me to stop just tell me and I will."_

"_Oh my god just fuck me," Kristina said rolling her eyes._

_Flack bit his cheek to keep from laughing and slowly started to enter her. When she let out a small whimper of pain, he stopped and almost pulled out._

"_Are you okay? Did I hurt you? Do you want me to stop?" he whispered._

"_No! I just… okay go," Kristina responded. Flack did as he was told and continued to thrust into her, both of them moaning at the sensation._

_Flack was still for a moment, allowing Kristina to adjust to his size. He saw her nod slightly and knew that she was okay. He began to slowly thrust in and out of her._

_Kristina's orgasm quickly built back up. Flack snaked his hand between their bodies and began stroking her clit. After a few more thrusts, Kristina's walls tightened again._

_Flack kissed her to muffle her screams as she came around him. He continued to thrust as she rode out her orgasm. When she came back down, his thrusts became faster and more erratic causing his own orgasm to follow soon after._

_He got up to dispose of the condom and when he got back, Kristina was already asleep. Flack chuckled and pulled the blanket over her. He then grabbed a pillow and an extra blanket and went to sleep on the couch. He knew that it would not be good for Sam to find them in bed together._

* * *

Kristina smiled at the memory of the night she lost her virginity. Flack had been so nervous and worried that it would ruin their friendship. It had certainly made things more complicated, but it hadn't ruined anything.

No one had known about that night. Not even Sam. That was until Flack let it slip one night while they were out with the team. They had given Flack and Kristina a hard time, but it didn't matter anymore. They were finally together and Kristina wanted to keep it that way.

A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts. Kristina got up to see who it was and found the last person she had ever expected to see.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: It has been a ridiculously long time since I updated. And for that I feel like a terrible person. Life kind of got in the way. What with moving to a new state and then going on a family vacation. I've been preoccupied. But now I can concentrate on my fics. And the muse is raring to go. So thank you to all who reviewed and added the story to your alerts and favorites. Special thanks to Brina. And I think that's it. So on with the show :)**

* * *

"Alan?" Kristina asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

She reached up to hug her brother, but he didn't hug her back.

"Alan what's wrong? Is someone hurt? Is it mom? Or dad?"

"No Kris, they're fine. The family is fine. It's… it's Don."

Kristina almost fainted. She grabbed on to her brother's shirt. "Oh god what happened? Is he okay? Where is he?"

"He's at the hospital right now. He was in a car wreck earlier and he's in a coma right now. I came over to get you and take you to see him."

This scene was all too familiar for Kristina. She didn't think she would be able to get through something like this again. She grabbed her purse and followed her brother out the door. He held her close, never taking his arm off of her.

* * *

When they got to the hospital, Alan led Kristina to Flack's room. She walked in and found Sam and his parents. Kristina took one look at Flack and burst into tears. Sam got up and, with tears in her own eyes, held her best friend.

A few minutes later, Detective Don Flack, Sr. got up and walked over to his daughter. "Come on Sam. Let's give Kris a few minutes alone with Don."

Sam nodded and let go of Kristina. She took her mother's hand and the three of them walked out of the room.

Kristina silently walked up to Flack's bed. She sat down in the chair his mother had vacated and took his hand in hers. She kissed the back of it and held it to her face.

"Don, I need you to wake up," Kristina said through her tears. "I need you. I don't know what I would do without you. I can't go through this again. You were there for me when Nate died, but who will be there for me if you die? I was thinking about us earlier. About the first time we slept together. Do you remember? You had picked Sam and me up from the bar. You always helped us out.

You were always there for us when we needed you. It made me realize that I've never returned the favor. I've never been there to pick you up if you needed me to. I've been so selfish my entire life. I should have been there for you. I'm so sorry. But I'm going to change. I'm going to stop thinking about myself and start thinking about everyone else. I just need you to come back to me and help me start over. I want to start my life over. And I want you to be in it. Forever. I love you."

Kristina paused and looked at her boyfriend. He just lay there, cold and pale. Could he hear her? Did he know what she was saying? She thought he could, so she continued. "I'm sorry about what happened that other night. I know I was wrong. I realize I have a problem. Sam took me to a meeting yesterday. We're going to go every week. I'm finally getting all the help I need, but now I'm worried that it's too late. I'm scared that I fucked up and you don't want me anymore. But, that's not the real me. I want you to come back so you can see the real me. Please Don. See the real me."

She looked at him once more. Deep down Kristina hoped that Flack would suddenly wake up, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't wake up for a while, if at all. It broke her heart to see him like this. She laid her head down on his bed and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Kristina's eyes flew open. She thought that she had felt Flack's hand move in hers. When she looked up she saw that he was still unconscious. Confused, she looked to her right and saw Mac standing there.

He smiled down at her and then knelt down next to her chair. "Hey Kristina. Go home and get some sleep. I'll stay with him."

"Mac, you and I both know that I won't sleep if I go home. I want to be here when he wakes up. I want to be the first person he sees."

"You will be Kristina. I don't think he's going to wake up anytime soon. You should at least go home and get some clean clothes. Maybe you can get some stuff for him. His favorite book maybe or one of his pillows. It might make him more comfortable."

Kristina sighed. She knew that Mac was right, but still didn't want to leave in case Flack woke up.

Mac saw her silent struggle and took her hand in his. "Kris. Go. If anything changes I'll call you immediately. I'll even give you permission to use lights and sirens."

Kristina couldn't help but laugh. She knew that Mac would drag her, kicking and screaming, from the room.

"Fine, I'll go. But if I find out that something changed, if he even moved a finger, and you didn't call me… You will be in huge trouble," Kristina told him, sticking her finger in his face to emphasize her point.

"Okay, okay I get it. If he twitches, you're the first person I call," Mac replied with a laugh.

Kristina rolled her eyes and turned back to an unconscious Flack. She leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"I'm going home for a little while honey. I'll bring some things back for you. Please get better soon baby. I love you." She kissed him softly on the lips, then hugged Mac and left.

As Kristina passed the waiting room, she saw Alan still sitting there. Gavin had joined him at some point and as she looked at her older brothers, fresh tears formed in her eyes. Kristina knew they were there because Flack was their best friend, but they were also there for her.

They saw what had happened to her when she lost Nate and they did not want her to go through that pain again. She walked over to them and they looked up. Gavin stood up and tightly wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey Krissy. How you holdin up?" he asked. When he saw the tears in her eyes he held her close again. "God, I'm so sorry. I wish there was something I could do for you."

"You could take me home," Kristina quietly offered.

"What? Why?" Alan asked, speaking for the first time.

"Mac's making me go home and shower. I'm also going to get some clothes and stuff for Don," she explained before adding, "And I want to get my car."

"Of course I'll take you home. Al, you comin?" Gavin asked, turning to his older brother.

"Nah. I'm gonna wait here. See if Don gets any better. Are you comin back after droppin her off?" Alan replied.

"Yup. I'm gonna stop and wait for Ellie to get off work. Jordan's got the car and she wants to be here," Gavin answered.

"Great. Mom and Dad'll be here in about an hour, so you guys should all get back around the same time," Alan said with a small smile.

Kristina loved her family. Flack wasn't a blood relative, but both he and Sam were part of them. Just like she and her siblings were part of the Flack family. She couldn't help but smile a little at the thought of them as one huge family.

Kristina was brought back to earth by the sound of her brother's laughing. She remembered that she was supposed to be going home and wanted to hurry.

"Come on Gav, let's go. I want to get back as soon as possible," Kristina said, tugging on her brother's arm.

"Alright, alright calm down," he told her as he turned to hug Alan, "See ya in a few."

"See ya man. And I'll see ya later too Kris. Love you."

"I love you too Al. See you soon."

* * *

Kristina stepped under the scalding hot water. She knew that it would burn her, but didn't care. It would help get rid of her pain and no one would be able to see the marks.

Crying, she sank down to the floor. Her life was just starting to come back together and once again it was in pieces. Kristina didn't think she'd be able to live if Flack died. She needed him. He was her life.

Twenty minutes later Kristina reached over and turned the water off. She figured she had wasted enough time in the shower and quickly got out. As she dried off, she winced at the pain in her back. Kristina turned around in front of the mirror and saw that her back was bright red.

"Ugh. No one better touch me. Cause it'll hurt like a bitch," she said out loud. Kristina quickly got dressed and began walking through the apartment. She picked up Flack's latest book, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. Kristina figured she could read it out loud to him. She also grabbed her pillow and the blanket she kept on the back of the couch.

Deciding that she had everything she needed, she grabbed her keys and made her way down to her car. Kristina hoped that she would be able to bring these things, and her boyfriend, home soon.

* * *

**AN: So if you've paid close attention to the first four chapters, you will notice that there was a flashback in all of them. However, there was not a flashback in this chapter simply because I didn't have one that fit anywhere. I do however have plenty planned out and I would like to use all of them. So thank you for reading and I would love it if you left a review :D**

**Also, I started a forum a few months ago dedicated to the men of the show. The link is in my profile, you should definitely check it out. [/end shameless self plug]**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: First, thank you for the reviews and for adding the story to your alerts/favorites. I'm really glad y'all are liking it. Second, there are only going to be a few more chapters. I plan on writing another story about Flack and Kristina. I love them and like I've said before, Kristina is like my baby. So I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

* * *

"_Mom! He's taking me to Tavern on the Green for dinner tomorrow night!" Kristina shouted excitedly as she ran into her parents' bedroom._

_Her mom jumped up from her chair and hugged her daughter. "Oh honey! I bet he's going to propose! We have to go buy something new!"_

"_Mom, I'm sure I have something here. I'm not even sure if he is going to propose. I don't want to waste the money," Kristina said with a laugh. _

"_Well, you should know that he's taken your father out for lunch today. When was the last time they went out to lunch? Never. He's probably asking your father's permission," Emily Young reasoned._

_Kristina's eyes grew wider with every word her mother said. "Oh my gosh. He's going to propose!" _

"_Yes, I think so! Now get your purse, we're going out and finding something gorgeous for you to wear."_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_The next evening, Kristina walked down the stairs to her waiting boyfriend. She and her mom had spent hours looking for the perfect dress, before settling on a little black number._

"_Hi Nate," she said with a bright smile. She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. His eyes had gone wide and his mouth was slightly open. Clearly the dress had worked._

"_Uh… um… hi Kris. You look absolutely stunning," he said giving her a soft kiss on the lips. "Are you ready to go?"_

_Kristina nodded and they said goodbye to her parents, and then left. Kristina could see that Nate was nervous. His hands were visibly shaking. He almost spilled his drink twice during dinner. They were now walking through Central Park. Nate seemed to be leading Kristina to a certain spot in the park, but she had no idea where. _

"_Nate where are we?" she asked as he stopped in a small alcove. _

"_Kris, look around. It doesn't look familiar?"_

_Kristina did what he asked and took in her surroundings. She quickly realized that this was a very special place. It was where they had kissed for the first time. When she looked back at Nate, tears instantly welled in her eyes at the sight before her. Nate was down on one knee and was holding a ring up to her. _

"_Kris, I wake up every morning and you are the first thing on my mind. I think about you all day long and I even dream about you sometimes. I love you more than anything in the world and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Kristina Nicole Young, will you marry me?"_

_Kristina's tears had begun flowing freely during his speech. He knew they were happy tears. She simply nodded and he placed the ring on her finger. Nate stood up and took her in his arms kissing her deeply._

"_I love you so much, Kristina."_

"_And I love you, Nathaniel."_

* * *

Kristina smiled as she looked at the area around her. She was sitting in that same alcove for the first time in over ten years. She and Nate had wanted to go back to Central Park before they got married, but they had both been too busy. And then he was gone.

After he died, Kristina couldn't bring herself to go back. In the ten years since he died, she had only set foot in the park if she had a scene. Otherwise, she stayed as far away as possible.

Today was the exception. Kristina was on her way back to the hospital when she passed by the park. She didn't know what it was, but something made her stop the car and find that alcove. And there she was sitting by herself.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Kristina looked up to see her father walking toward her. She smiled and glanced down at her hands. "How did you know where I was?"

"Well, when your mom and I got to the hospital they said you had been gone for about an hour. Somethin' about goin' home to shower and get some stuff for Donnie. She and I both knew that you would have been back in thirty minutes, so we figured you had gone somewhere to think. This was the first place we thought of, so here I am," her father explained.

Kristina smiled at her father as he sat down beside her. She stifled a giggle at the thought of her parents putting their hard earned detective skills to use.

"How is he?" she asked, glancing at her father to find him staring at her. He sighed. _This can't be good_, she thought.

"He's still out. The doctors say that he's stable, but that could change at any moment." His words caused tears to form in her eyes. Kristina let them fall as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Daddy, I'm scared. What if I lose him too? I couldn't live with myself knowing that the last words I said to him were 'get out' before slamming the door in his face. I never really told him how much I love him. He doesn't know. He needs to know how much he means to me," she said through her tears.

"Krissy, look at me," her father said as he lifted her chin. She looked into his eyes and found sorrow. "I know for a fact that Donnie knows how much you love him. He knows just how much he means to you. And because he knows that, he's going to come back to you. Donnie was there for you when Nate died. More than the rest of us. He's going to come back because he knows how much you need him in your life. Now come on. Let's get back to the hospital so you can be there when he wakes up."

Kristina nodded and stood up. She wiped her eyes as she started walking toward her car. She noticed that her father was following her and turned to look at him. "Did you park next to me or something? Or are you just making sure I actually get back to the car?"

"No, I uh… took a taxi. Needed to clear my head," her father replied looking at the ground.

"Daddy what's wrong with you? And don't lie to me and say that you're fine. I can tell that something is bothering you."

Christopher Young sighed and looked up at his daughter. She was worried about him and he hated that. She had worse things to worry about. Like her injured boyfriend for example.

"You know we named you after me?"

"No shit! I never made the connection… Christopher… Kristina," she said with a smirk.

Her father just rolled his eyes. "We actually had another name picked out for you. Cassandra. It means 'to shine'. But when you came out, you were kicking and screaming. More than your brothers and more than most babies, according to the doctor. You were a firecracker. You're mom said you were just like me. So we decided to name you Kristina."

Kristina smiled. "I didn't know that you had another name for me. I just always thought that you were being egotistical and naming one of your children after yourself."

"Nope. You were extremely close to being my little Cassie," Christopher said with a laugh. They walked in silence for a few minutes, until they reached the car. Christopher held out his hand to his daughter. "Give me the keys. I'll drive."

Kristina nodded and handed over the keys. She walked around to the passenger side and climbed in. When her father had gotten in, she turned and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Daddy. But you never told me what's upsetting you."

Christopher laughed. He thought he had successfully distracted her. He had clearly been very wrong. "I was just thinking about you and if I could have made your life better."

"What are you talking about? I've had a wonderful life. There have just been a few bumps in the road," Kristina said.

"I know, but I feel like I could have done something more to make sure you didn't have to experience those bumps."

"Oh yeah? Like what? What could you have possibly done?"

"I could have pushed you and Donnie together. We always did want the two of you to get together. Your mothers were ecstatic when the two of you finally started dating. Maybe if I had done something when you were younger, you wouldn't have met Nate and then you wouldn't have had your heartbroken…" Christopher's voice trailed off and he glanced at Kristina. She was staring out the window. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "Krissy?"

"There's nothing you could have done Dad. Don is ten years older than me. There was never anything between us until after Nate." Kristina knew that this was a lie, but she was not about to tell her father about what had happened between her and Flack before Nate came around. "Please don't beat yourself up over this. Yes, bad things have happened to me. But I am completely fine now. I just need Don to wake up and life will be perfect again."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Positive," Kristina replied.

"Okay. I'll stop thinking about it then," Christopher said while he parked the car. "Well, we're here now. Do you need help carrying anything?"

"No thanks Dad. I've got it." Kristina smiled and grabbed everything out of the backseat. She held it with one arm and took her father's hand with the other. Together they walked through the hospital doors to discover the fate of Donald Flack, Jr.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I am a terrible, horrible person. I can not believe how long it has taken me to update this story. I would like to thank everyone for the reviews and updates. A special thank you goes to my loyal reader _The-different-child_, for giving me a little kick and reminding me to update. Another special thank you goes to Brina for betaing. You rock girlie! There will be one more chapter after this, and then the story will be finished. I am already working on a sequel to this story as well as another Kristina/Flack fic. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_Kristina woke with a start. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew that something was very, very wrong. She was getting up to get a glass of water when she heard the phone ring. Glancing at the clock, Kristina saw that it was four in the morning. This couldn't be good._

_Quietly, she made her way to the door of her parents' bedroom. She figured that her mother would answer the phone quickly. Her suspicions were proven correct when she heard her mother's tired voice a moment later._

"_Young residence. How may I help you at this ridiculous hour?"_

_Kristina couldn't help but chuckle at her mother's sarcasm. Even this early in the morning. She inched a little closer to the door when she heard her mother continue._

"_Oh no! Where is he? Okay, I'll wake Christopher up now. We'll get ready and then go take care of Kris. She's going to be a mess. How are you holding up? I'm so sorry honey. Thanks for calling Julia we'll see you in a little while."_

_Kristina froze. Julia? Why was she calling this late? And why did her mom say that she would be a mess? Oh god, something had happened to Nate!_

_Kristina was brought out of her thoughts by the sounds of her father grumbling in his sleep. Her mother was trying to wake him up. Kristina ran back to her room before they found her, tears stinging her eyes._

* * *

When Kristina and her father walked into the waiting room, they were met with a large crowd. Her family, Flack's family, and even the entire team had gathered and were patiently waiting for any news.

Upon hearing the pair enter the room, everyone looked up at the new arrivals. They all had the same expression. Despair. But there was also a little hope visible.

Emily Young walked up to her eldest daughter and took Kristina's face in her hands.

"I'm so sorry baby girl," she said as she pulled Kristina into a hug. Kristina let out a sob and her mother hugged her tighter. "Shh… honey it's okay. Donnie's gonna be just fine. I know he is."

Kristina pulled back and looked into her mother's eyes. They were the same jade green as her own and they were full of love. Kristina smiled and hugged Emily again.

"I love you so much Mommy. Thank you," she whispered.

"What for?" Emily asked.

"Being here for Don. And me too, I guess."

"Krissy, of course I'm here. You are my daughter and the man you love is in trouble. And you know that Donnie is like family. I am going to be here until you get to take him home."

The women moved across the small room to sit with Kristina's brothers and sister. Alan and Gavin moved to sit on the floor so that Emily and Kristina could take their seats. Once she got as comfortable as she could in the hard chair, Kristina noticed that her father had stayed by the door.

Christopher gave a slight nod to Don, Sr. and then left the room. Don gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek and followed Chris. Kristina saw the small exchange and wondered what the two men were up to. She allowed her curiosity to get the better of her and leaned over to her mom.

"I'll be right back. I'm runnin' to the bathroom," she whispered.

"Okay, do you need me to come with you?" Emily asked.

"No thanks mom," Kristina said. She smiled and added, "I'll be fine on my own."

Emily smiled and watched her daughter get up and walk out of the room. As soon as Kristina was out the door, Alan got up and took her seat.

"Ya know she's not goin' to the bathroom right? She's goin' to see what dad and Uncle Don are up to," he told his mother.

"Oh I know Al. She's like your father. They think they're sneaky, but they couldn't be anymore obvious. I just humor them to make life easier," Emily replied with a smirk.

Meanwhile, as soon as Kristina had left the waiting room she saw her father and Det. Flack turn the corner at the end of the hallway. She followed them quietly and stopped when she could hear them clearly.

"Has he gotten any better?" It was her father who had asked the question. Kristina knew exactly who they were talking about.

"No. To me, he looks paler than he did before. What did you tell her?" Don, Sr. replied.

"That he was stable, but it could change any moment."

"Well, at least you told her the truth."

"Yeah, but I still led her to believe that he would be perfectly fine. Don, I don't think he's going to make it through this."

"I don't either Chris. And that kills me! He's my son! I can't lose my only son!" Kristina could hear Don start crying. She couldn't see the two men, but knew that her father was silently comforting him.

Deciding she had heard enough, Kristina rushed to the bathroom. She locked herself in the last stall and sunk to the floor. She thought about everything she had just heard.

Neither of the two men thought that Don would live. She couldn't believe it. Their own fathers thought that he was going to die. Just the idea of it made her angry. They were supposed to be the first people to say that he would be fine.

But then another thought occurred to her. What if Don's situation was worse than the doctors let on? What if, in an attempt to 'protect' her, they hadn't told her everything? The thought made Kristina sick to her stomach.

As she was throwing up, Kristina heard the bathroom door open. She prayed that it was just a stranger, but groaned inwardly when she heard a familiar voice.

"Krissy? Where are you?" It was her sister. Kristina just stuck her hand out under the stall door and then unlocked it. She heard her sister sigh, but also heard someone else. A few moments later she was looking up at Eileen and Sam.

"Hey, are you okay?" Sam asked as she crouched down next to Kristina. Eileen did the same and moved the hair from Kristina's face.

"I'm fine. Just got a little overwhelmed by everything. You guys can go on back. I just need a minute and I'll be back in there," Kristina replied.

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay?" Eileen questioned.

"Thanks Ellie, but I'm sure. I'll be there in a few minutes," she answered.

"Okay. We'll go back and wait for you," Sam said with a small smile.

Both women hugged Kristina and then stood up to leave. They gave her one last glance and then walked out of the room. Kristina stayed in the stall for a few more minutes. After she had regained her composure, she got up and washed her hands and face.

As she walked out of the bathroom, Kristina heard someone yell 'he's crashing' and saw several nurses running in her direction. She quickly moved out of their way and watched them run into what appeared to be Don's room.

Fearing the worst, Kristina rushed passed the waiting room and stopped outside of the room that the nurses had entered. She watched them pull down his hospital gown as the doctor readied the paddles. She glanced at the monitors and saw that he had flat lined.

Kristina watched as the doctor shocked him three times without success. On the fourth attempt, Don's heart started beating again and Kristina let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding.

* * *

_Four Days Later_

Kristina stared at the sleeping form of her boyfriend. It had been four days and he was slowly getting better. She heard someone quietly open the door, but assumed it was just a nurse. Kristina jumped when she heard a voice that she hadn't heard in a long time.

"Hi Krissy."

"Julia?" Kristina glanced up and saw Nate's mother. "What are you doing here?"

"Your mom called. She told me about Don." Julia Hastings stepped up to Kristina and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry honey. I'm here if you need me."

"Thanks Julia."

"So how is he doing? Is he any better?" Julia asked.

"Yeah, but it's slow going," Kristina answered. She glanced at Don and continued. "I think he looks better and the doctor says he's more stable now. I think he's going to wake up soon."

"I'm sure he will."

"Dad doesn't think so. And neither does Uncle Don. Sometimes I think I'm the only one who believes in him."

"But that's what is so wonderful about you. You believe in everyone. Don knows that. And he knows how much you care about him. He's going to wake up. I know he is."

"Thank you Julia." Kristina glanced at the door and saw Nate's father standing outside. He looked like he didn't want to come into the room. "Um, I think your husband wants to see you and it doesn't look like he wants to come in."

Julia noticed the look of concern on Kristina's face and patted her arm reassuringly. "Don't worry dear. It has nothing to do with you. This is all just a little too familiar to him."

"It's familiar to all of us," Kristina sighed.

Julia gave her a hug and kissed her head. "I know honey, but don't worry. It'll all be over soon. Now, I hope you know that I expect an invitation when you and this one decide to get married."

Kristina laughed. "Of course you'll get one. As long as you feel comfortable being there."

"Why wouldn't we feel comfortable? The most important thing to all of us, especially Nate, has always been your happiness. I know that my Nate is looking down on you and smiling."

Kristina couldn't help the tears that had begun falling. She laughed lightly and said goodbye as Julia walked into the hallway to greet her husband. Kristina looked back at Flack and smiled. She knew that Julia was right. Everything would be okay.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: This is the last chapter of this story. I am working on the sequel right now and will hopefully be posting the first chapter soon. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and added the story to your alerts and favorites. Special thanks to Brinchen86 for betaing. And I would like to give extra special thanks to everyone who has been with this couple since the beginning. It really means a lot to me that you like the character so much. And now, happy reading!**

* * *

Kristina shot up in her chair. It took her a moment to get her bearings. She was still at the hospital, in Flack's room, where she had practically lived for the last two weeks. The only time she left was to go to work.

After a couple of seconds, Kristina remembered why she had woken up in the first place. She thought she had heard someone trying to speak, but she didn't see anyone else in the room.

Kristina jumped a little when she glanced at Flack and found his blue eyes staring into her green ones. He looked scared and, due to the tube helping him breathe, he couldn't talk. Kristina froze for a moment and couldn't think of what to do.

As if on instinct, she was at the door a split second later yelling for a nurse. Two nurses rushed in along with the doctor, who made sure Flack was okay, and quickly extubated him. The doctor ordered a few tests and then they all walked out of the room leaving Kristina alone with her boyfriend.

Kristina slowly walked back to Flack's bed. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. Flack's expression mirrored hers as she leaned down and gently kissed him.

"You really had me scared for a moment there," Kristina said.

"Wh-what happened?" Flack asked. His voice cracked due to lack of use.

"You were in a car accident," she answered. "Do you remember it?"

When Flack shook his head, Kristina sighed. "You were on your way to work, when some kid ran a red light. He hit the driver's side of your car and you've been in a coma for almost three weeks now."

Flack's eyes widened and he looked like he was about to cry. Tears had already begun streaming down Kristina's face. She couldn't believe he was okay. She felt like she was dreaming and was afraid she would wake up at any moment.

Kristina saw Flack open his mouth to speak and then close it again. She figured it was dry and went to get him some water. After taking a couple of sips, Flack was able to speak again.

"What happened to the other driver?"

Kristina had been expecting this question. She had to admit that it wasn't her first question. She couldn't have cared less about the other driver. He was the reason Flack was there in the first place. But that was what made Flack so great. He always cared about everybody else.

"Um… he died on the scene. Sid said that he was drunk and had more drugs in his system than one person should know what to do with. He believes the drugs and alcohol combined with the stress of the crash are what hilled him…" Kristina's voice trailed off at the look on Flack's face.

It was a mixture of anger and sympathy. Kristina could see his internal struggle between hating the man and feeling sorry for him. All of a sudden, he started crying. Kristina hadn't expected this reaction and was at a loss for what to do.

She grabbed his hand and held on tight. It was a simple gesture, but it was enough to let him know she was there. After a few moments, Flack's cries died down. Kristina waited for him to say something, but when he didn't she spoke up.

"Baby? What are you thinkin'?" she asked.

"How much I hate this situation. I hate that man for hitting me and putting you through this again. I hate myself for fighting with you and letting you kick me out. I should have stayed, Kris. I should have stayed and talk to you. It doesn't matter how pissed we were at each other. I never should have left."

"Don, you cannot think like that. Do you honestly believe that, if you had tried to stay, I would have let you? I thought you knew me better than that," Kristina replied with a smile.

"But seriously Don, don't beat yourself up over it. Yes, we fought and I kicked you out. Do you know what I did after you left? I went into my room and called Sam. She took me to a meeting the next day."

Flack's eyes lit up at her words. "Are you serious? Kris that's great! I'm really proud of you babe."

"Thanks honey," Kristina said smiling. She paused before adding, "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Me too Kris. Me too."

* * *

After four weeks of physical therapy, Flack was able to go home. As he and Kristina were getting in the car, he placed a hand on her shoulder and stopped her. Kristina turned around and saw a small smile on his face.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I love you so much. You know that right?"

"Of course I do. And I love you just as much."

Flack smiled a little bigger before responding. "Will you move in with me?"

Kristina couldn't help but laugh. "Uhh… Don, we already live together. Or did you forget about that?"

"No I didn't forget. But I still have my apartment. And mine is bigger than yours anyway."

Kristina's eyes widened. She thought she knew what he was getting at, but wanted to be sure. "Don, what are you saying? Do you want us to move into your place?"

"Yes. I'm ready to let another woman into my apartment and completely into my life. And I want that woman to be you."

Kristina's eyes glistened with tears. "That almost sounds like a proposal Mr. Flack," she giggled.

"Oh trust me Ms. Young. You will definitely know when I propose," he responded.

Kristina gave him a kiss and then climbed in the car. She thought about what he had said. She would know when he proposed. The thought excited her and sent chills down her spine.

It had been a long time since she had imagined getting married. But the idea of being married to Don Flack was one that made her very happy. And Kristina was sure that he felt the same way about marrying her.

* * *

**AN: I know it was kind of short, but I felt this was a very good end for this particular story. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
